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W. GOATES. APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER LEAVES OE MUSIO OR OTHER BOOKS.

NO. 522,336. Patented July 3, 1894.

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W. OOATES.

APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER LEAVES OF MUSIC OR OTHER BOOKS.

Patented July 3, 1894.

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W. G'OATES. I APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER LEAVES OF MUSIC OR OTHER BOOKS.

No. 522,336. Patented July 3, 1894.

I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1 Zu's vii-fo m? 'j z z at Tu:NOR

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM OOATES, OF WELLINGTON, ZEALAND.

APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER LEAVES OF MUSIC OR OTHER BOOKS- SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 522,336, datedJuly 3, 1894.

Application filed January 9, 1894. Serial No. 496,301. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM OOATES, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain,residing at lVellington, in the Colony of New Zealand, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Turning Over theLeaves of Music or other Books, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a new method of and apparatus for turning overthe leaves of music and other books more especially when the hands ofthe operator are otherwise engaged and has for its objects performingthe operation in a simple and efficient manner by machinery which iscertain in its action and convenientto operate.

In order that my invention may be readily understood by one skilled inthe art to which it appertains I will proceed to describe the same andfor that purpose shall refer to the accompanying sheet of drawings whichrepresent my apparatus as applied to turning the leaves of an ordinarymusic book on a piano.

Figure 1 is a front View of my apparatus for turning the leaves asfitted to the music rest of an ordinary piano. Fig. 2 is an end view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a plan of 'the same. Fig. 4. is afront view of myapparatus for holding the book as fitted to the music rest of anordinary piano. Fig. 5 is an end view of the same. Fig. 6 is a plan ofthe same. Fig. 7 is a front view of the fittings for attachment to anordinary piano. Fig. 8 is a plan of the same. Fig. 9 is an end view ofthe same.

Similar letters referto similar parts in all the figures.

(a), 850., show the ordinary frame work of a piano (a) showing theposition of the keys and (a the ordinary lid or cover.

(1)) and (b') are levers oscillating on screws or pivots (0 attached (bypreference) under neath the body of the piano.

The levers have attached to them brackets (b and (b placed in such aposition and shaped in such a form that they can be easily worked by theknees of the operator. These brackets are (by preference) so formed that(b can be moved either to the right onto the left by the action of theright knee and (b to the left only by the action of the left knee.

To the outer end of the lever (b) is attached one end of a connectingrod (0) and its opposite end is attached to the frame of the piano bymeans of a hook and elastic spring (0') as shown in Fig. 7.

To the connecting rod (0) is attached a vertical lever (d) by means of ajoint ((1'). This lever (cl) oscillates on a pin (d fixed in anyconvenient position (see Fig. 8) and its outer end is jointed to a rod(e) which oscillates with it and is itself steadied and supported bymeans of an oscillating upright support or lever (e) fixed to a rockingspindle (e passing through the front board of the piano to' the outsideand communicating its motion to another oscillating upright support (aTo the top of this support (6 is hinged a rod (6 which communicatesmotion to the lever (6 by means of the joint (6 The lever (6 oscillatesthe axle (g') of the bevel wheel segment (g) and imparts an oscillatingmotion to the same upon the axle (g'). I have thus communicated themotion of the right knee of the operator to the bevel wheel (g) which itoscillates backward and forward causing the pinion (g to revolve and inso doing carries with it the vertical spindle (h) which it also causesto revolve to the right or to the left in a half circle or thereabout.

(S) is the usual stand for music as fitted to ordinary pianos but whichI prefer to make with brackets (8') so that it can be readily fastenedby brackets to the front of the instrument as shown. The spindle (h)revolves or oscillates in bearings (72?) fixed (by preference) behindthe board'(S) and has attached to it firmly an arm (h) which thereforeoscillates with it and usually in about a semi- I circle.

(2') is a portion of the leaf of a music book placed in a position openfor use and which leaf it is the object of the apparatus to turn to theleft. This leaf has a piece cutout of it as shown at (11). A similarpiece is punched out of every leaf required to be turned or referred tobut it is out out in such a manner that every alternate leaf has thevacant space in the position shown by dotted lines at (F).

(j) and(j') are two small fingers or prongs which are so formed at theirpoints that (j) rests on the upper page while (1) rests on the pageunderneath in consequence of the re-' oess (2") being cut out of thesaid upper page. By an arrangement to be hereinafter described theprongs 7) and (j) can be moved into the position shown by the dottedlines on the page (2') so as to readily turn the said page.

In order that the prongs (j) and 7") may rest properly on the page onwhich they are placed and in all circumstances, they are fixed into aplate (j which oscillates slightly on a pin (j and in such a manner thatthe side to which the prong is attached may be slightly heavier than theother side. This plate (j has projections (j fitting over the connectingrod (It) and .thus preventing the said plate from oscillating to toogreat a distance but at the same time allows of a limited motion on thepin (3' is a connecting rod which carries at one end the pin (3' and atits opposite end is jointed freely to the arm (h'); it is also fittedwith a slot (k passing over the revolving spindle (h) and thus confiningit to the said spindle but allowing of free motion thereon.

It will thus be seen that a half turn of the pinion (g will cause thespindle (71) to make half a turn and carry with it the arm (h),the rod(7c) and the prongs (j) and (j) which will then sweep the leaf (2') in asemicircle from one side of the book to the otherorvice versa inaccordance with the action of the knee on the bracket (b either to theright or to the left and for this purpose the gearing is so arrangedthat only a slight motion of the knee will effect it.

Having now described the apparatus in connection with the right knee onthe bracket (U in order to turn the leaves, I will proceed to describethe action of the left knee on the bracket (b To this bracket (b isattached a lever (11) similar to the beforementioned lever (19) and toits outer end is fastened a cord or other connection (Z) passing roundthe guide pulleys (Z) and (Z fixed (by preference) withinthe body of thepiano and communieating with and giving an oscillating motion to the arm(1n) fixed to a pin (m) passing through the front board to the outsideof the instrument and communicating its motion to an arm (m whichcarries at its outer end a rod or connection (a) which transfers itsmotion to a cord (12). This cord (77,) is passed through a hole in thearm (7;) and knotted. By these means the rod (70) can be caused to moveupward while an elastic spring attached to the rod (12) causes a returnor downward motion of the same. In this manner an upward and downwardmotion is given to the arm (70) carrying with it the prongs (j) and (j)and thus enabling the said prongs to take up the dotted position shownat their points in Fig. 1 so that one prong is slid under the leaf (2')and the other on the top of the same so as to grip the leaf in readinessfor turning.

I find in practice that in the act of turning a leaf a partial vacuum isformed under the same and which prevents it being readily released fromthe page below. I obviate this difficulty by placing a light bracket (0)projecting upward and outward so that in the act of passing the prongs(j) and 7'' into position for turning the leaf the arm (70 is liftedslightly and carrying with it the prongs they are also lifted togetherwith the leaf and thus air is admitted between the leaves before theactual turning takes place. This bracket (0) I prefer to make of lightwire so that it may act as a spring and prevent jar or slam when struckby the arm (70) in turning back the leaves.

It is sometimes advisable to prevent the leaf blowing back after it hasbeen turned to the left hand and therefore I place a hook (s) so that itmay bend slightly over the turned page. The hook is attached to an arm(8) oscillating on a pin (8 and connected with the rod (22) by the lever(8 Bythese means when the left knee is moved to the left so as tointroduce the prongs in readiness to turn the leaf the hook (s) isdepressed out of the way until the leaf is turned after which it returnsand secures the leaf the action of the knee being removed.

It is of course necessary that the outside covers of leaves of the bookshould be held pretty firmly in position and I will now proceed todescribe the method of holding the same and for the purpose I shallrefer more especially to Figs. & and 5. Having placed the book open uponthe stand in a centralposition I hold the left hand side of the book bythe following apparatus.

(p) is a clip which is placed over the inside of the first leaf or coverof the book to hold it pretty firmly in its place, this clip is fixed toan arm (13) oscillating on a pin (19 which is fixed to any convenientpart of the book stand and has a tailpiece (19 The arm and clip arepressed down by an elastic spring or band (p placed in any convenientposition. The arm (19) has attached to it atits extreme outer end aprojection (19 which is so formed that it holds the first leaf a littleapart from the rest thus leaving a space which is of great assistancewhen inserting the prongs to bring the leaves back to the commencementif de sired.

Should any leaf being the last leaf turned over require to be turnedback again for the purpose of repeating it will be necessary to hold aslight strain upon the knee bracket (1)) with the left knee to keep theprongs in position and also by the action of the right knee being workedto the left theleaf can be turned back again. By pressing on the tailpiece (19 the book can be freed. I hold the right hand leaf or cover ofthe book byaprojection (g) which is attached to a lever (r) oscillatingon a pin (rt) and held down by an elastic spring or band (4). The saidlever (r) is fitted (by preference) with a fork (T and roller (1) sothat on lifting the projection (g) by the lever (1") both the right andleft hand lovers are lifted and the right and deft hand levers or coversof the book released.

.I sometimes fasten the projecting holder IOC IIS

(g) to a handle (q) oscillating on a pin ((1 attached to the lever (r)and thus on depressing the said handle I can withdraw the holder (q)from holding the book and by passing the handle over a knob (25) I caneffectually free both sides or covers of the same and retain them inthat position.

It will be evident from this description that my apparatus as applied topianos and similar instruments consists in applying the action of theknees to actuate machinery by which the leaves of books can be turned tothe right hand or to the left or vice versa the said books having smallnotches cut in the leaves for the purpose of inserting the prong bywhich they are turned the book being held truly and firmly by machinerywhich can be readily brought into action or released.

The apparatus can be arranged for other purposes and instruments whetherthe operator is standing or sitting and can be worked either by theknees or feet and in some cases such as for bands or orchestras severalsets of the apparatus may be attached to one another and worked togetherso as to turn over a number of books simultaneously.

WVhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. In combination with the rod or arm 75 having prongs j andj',connections for rocking said arm 7a, and means independent of therocking connections for raising the arm to cause the prongs to engagethe leaf to be turned, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the arm is with connections for rocking the same,a plate horizontally arranged upon said arm having a limited rotarymovement, and prongs projecting upward from said plate for engaging theleaf to be turned, substantially as described.

3. In combination, with the rocking arm carrying fingers and adapted tobe raised to engage the leaf to be turned, a bearing bracket adapted toengage said arm 7.; and throw it slightly outward whereby the leaf to beturned is slightly separated before the actual turning takes place,substantially as described.

4. In combination with the arm it having prongs for engaging the leaf,connections for positively operating said arm in either direction, asecond arm above arm 70 having cord connection therewith, and means forrocking said supplemental arm to lift the prongs into engagement withthe leaf to be turned, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the spindle h with means for rotating the same,the arm 72. carried thereby, the arm 70 having one end pivotallyconnected to the arm h and its other end provided with leaf engagingfingers and its intermediate portion connected with said spindle by asliding joint, and means for raising the free end of said arm 7.: tocause the fingers to engage the leaf to be turned, substantially asdescribed.

6. In combination with the spindle h with the leaves to be turned havingalternately arranged slots in their lower edges, the arm 70 with meansfor rocking it in either direction, the fingers carried by said rod andadapted to rest one upon the face of the leaf and one in the slottherein, and means for lifting the arm 75 to cause one of the fingers topass beneath the sheet in the slot of which it rests, substantially asdescribed.

8. The combination of lever (19) having knee bracket (6 or a pedalequivalent to the same with oscillating rod (0), lever (cl), oscillatingrod (e'), spindle (e oscillating rod (c and rod (6) lever (e segment(g), pinion (g spindle (h), arm (77/), arm (70), having prongs (j) and(j) and book perforated as at ('L") and (F) as and for the purposessubstantially as described herein and illustrated in theaccompanyingdrawings.

9. The combination of rod (n), with lever (5 with cord (0%), arm (70),and prongs (j) and (j) as and for the purposes substantially asdescribed herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. In a music leaf turner, the combination with the music of thepivoted levers p and r carrying cover holders at their outer ends andhaving their inner ends arranged in proximity whereby the operationofone serves to operate the other, substantially as described.

11. In a music leaf turner the combination with the music of the pivotedlever 19 and r carrying cover holders p and g at their outer ends andhaving their inner ends in proximity, and a roller r journaled on theend of lever r and adapted to bear against the adjacent end of lever19', substantially as described.

12. In combination with the rocking leverr the cover holder q pivoted onthe end of said lever and having an angular extended handle q forrocking said holder, and means for holding said parts in their depressedposition, substantially as described.

13. The combination of lever (12') having a knee piece (b or pedalequivalent to the same, cord (Z), rod (n), oscillating lever 8 cord(1%), arm (is), and prongs (j) and (j with a book having recesses suchas ('5') and (a?) cut in the pages of the same as and for the purposessubstantially as described herein and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

WILLIAM COATES.

Witnesses:

W. E. HUGHES, W. ALEXANDER.

